1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer element, preferably using CYCOLOR technology, and to a method of transferring developed image areas and non-image areas to a receptor element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
CYCOLOR is a registered trademark of Mead Imaging, a Division of Mead Corporation, Dayton, Ohio. CYCOLOR technology provides full color imaging generally associated with photography. With CYCOLOR technology, for example, a polyester base may be coated with light-sensitive microcapsules called cyliths, which are sensitive to red, green and blue light. Each cylith resembles a water-filled balloon and is about one-tenth the diameter of a human hair. The cyliths contain a liquid monomer in which is dissolved a light sensitive photoinitiator and a color forming substance called a leuco dye.
The support (e.g., polyester) is exposed to light transmitted through or reflected from an original color image. The resulting latent image resembles the negative used in conventional photography. Exposure to light hardens the cyliths in proportion to the amount of exposure, rendering them resistant to physical rupture. Thus, the latent image is a pattern of hard (exposed) and soft (unexposed) cyliths.
The final image is developed by bringing the cyliths into contact with a sheet of CYCOLOR paper or transparency. Full color is obtained by mixing three different types of cyliths and coating them on a support (e.g., polyester). Each of the three types of cyliths contain either a cyan, magenta or yellow leuco dye, along with photoinitiators that are sensitive respectively to red, green or blue light. Exposure to red light hardens the capsules containing the cyan dye. Pressure development results in the release of magenta and yellow dyes which mix to form a red image. Exposure to green light controls the magenta dye. Pressure development results in the cyan and yellow dyes mixing to form a green image. Blue light controls the yellow dye. Pressure development results in the mixing of the cyan and magenta dyes to form a blue image. Exposure of all cyliths (white light) results in non color (white or non-image area) and exposure of none of the cyliths results in black. Any color can be reproduced by controlling the relative proportion of the three dyes.
Applications of CYCOLOR technology include use in color copiers to make color copies, or this technology may be used to create hard copy prints from 35 mm slides. Other applications include use with color computer printers to provide prints from computer systems. CYCOLOR technology also works with digital imaging techniques by providing hard copies of images produced by electronic cameras.
However, the developed image and non-image areas cannot be simultaneously transferred to a receptor surface (e.g. textile) with conventional CYCOLOR technology.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,165 discloses an imaging system which provides an imaging sheet and a layer of microcapsules containing a photosensitive composition and a color former. However, the developed image and non-image areas thereof are not capable of being simultaneously transferred to a receptor element.
Accordingly, imaging systems based on photosensitive encapsulates are known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,446 by Berman discloses the selected transfer of dye to a copy sheet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,439 by Phillips discloses a photocopy process involving development of capsules without transfer.
Thus, while image forming techniques are known, none of these techniques provide for the transfer of the simultaneous image and non-image area to a receptor element with the transfer coating layer described hereinbelow.